


A sea dark and hungry

by Subtle_Shenanigans



Series: We play our parts [3]
Category: Balto - Fandom
Genre: A good boy, Animals, Blood, Depression, Dreams, Fear, Found Family, Gen, Hatred, Hybrid - Freeform, I was a big fan of number two as a kid lol, Prejudice, Retelling, Wild animals, Wolfdog, balto is mostly tame, but still has a prey drive, during the medicine haul, i promise Togo comes in, i think it’s called, themes are present but not completely heavy, you can’t tell me Balto hasn’t always had weird dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27127669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subtle_Shenanigans/pseuds/Subtle_Shenanigans
Summary: Sometimes all you need is some good food and good company.But the sea is dark and hungry, especially during winter.
Relationships: Balto & family
Series: We play our parts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637029
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	A sea dark and hungry

**Author's Note:**

> Heya!!! It’s been awhile. I got a hankering to write this. So I did.
> 
> Writing will vary of course and I haven’t rewatched the movie yet, but since this is au it will only follow parts of the movie anyways.

Leaving the viscous dogs and their owners, they head home.

Home is the boat, broken and beached on shore next to a frosty sea. In summer, the water laps playfully at the very edge of its hull, but never enough to sweep in away.

Balto slinks onboard, thick wolf-pelt warding the cold. Still, he noses a ratty old blanket and slips it on himself, more for comfort than anything.

Boris. . .isn’t sure what to do. Balto has his lows, many times in the past, but this was a little deeper set. Should he leave him alone for a bit, maybe bring back some fish? But, that doesn’t seem right either.

The toys! Some old, fading things that he had nipped for Balto as a pup. Dog toys, like the bopper, gaudy and orange, or the fake bone. Maybe the strong, not-shaped-like-a pinecone?

He launched the bopper, it’s squeaking, rattling noise barely getting a glance as it rolled past. His eyes did turn towards Boris, as he got down awkwardly on fours, trying to squeak the bone in his beak. He waggled his tail for good measure. Boris’ spirits rose as Balto stood, only to fall as he turned the opposite direction and collapsed once more.

The last toy was a lost cause, Boris decided. Dancing would garner no attention he was sure. Rubbing his head with a wing, he thought long, and he thought hard.

What did Balto need right now?

He was upset, that much was certain. But despondently staring at nothing wasn’t good for him.

Boris was there for him, but he wouldn’t force the matter. Plus, his was basically Balto’s parent, and Balto was a full-grown wolfdog. Advice may not be wanted.

He could-

He held back a sigh.   
  
Boris wasn’t Balto’s only family.   
  
Time to bring in some cousins.

* * *

Boris had announced his departure, which Balto had acknowledged with a grunt. He wasn’t too keen on being alone, but also being around someone else ruffled his fur the wrong way.  
  
That’s how everything felt. Wrong. Were the dogs right? Was he _wrong_?  
  
Jenna didn’t seem to think so, nor Inuku, nor Rosie. But the two sled dogs couldn’t hide their flinch at his scent, and Rosie was a human pup - a child. Her parents certainly didn’t trust him.

He shoved away these worried thoughts as he shoved his snout under a paw. Maybe some sleep would help.

But barely had a few moments gone by, when the boat shuddered and clunked under weighty paws.

“ _Balto!_ ”

“ _Hrrmph!_ ”

Swiftly he brought his head up, gulping a startled yelp as giant white paws scooped him up into a hug. A second set, much smaller, pawed at his hide in a friendly manner.

He didn’t bother to hide the happy, startled laugh.

Jumping out of his cousin’s hold, he barked happily. “Muk and Luk! How are you guys!”

“Well, fit as a fish in the water, seein’ you today!” Muk answered. His bigger brother, Luk, nodded his head and made noises of agreement.

Balto felt warm at the sight of them, and while the dark, depressed air still lingered in the back of his mind, he felt it begin to lift. He snuck a sly look at Boris, who avoided his gaze.

“Uncle Boris invited us over for a fun night! It’s been quite awhile, ain’t it?” Muk couldn’t help but scamper around. Luk nodded, the old scars on his throat barely noticeable.

(Luk had never really talked yet as a cub, and when he wandered into a strangling trap, he then never would. But Muk understood him perfectly, and Balto and Boris where always patient and kind.)

Balto did a downward stretch. “Well, what’s the plan, then? Charades? Stories? Some chase?”

Muk gave a jump, then paused as Luk made some noises. “Luk wants to do some chase! I agree!”

A cough broke through their excitement. “Sorry boychicks, but a storm is rolling in,” Boris cranes his neck towards the steel-cast sky. “Chase will have to be short. I’ll go get some fish, and then we will have to nest.”  
  
“Awww, Uncle Boris,” Muk pouted. Luk and Balto grinned at one another.

Boris flapped his wings. “No buts! Play chase, but when I am back we bed down, yes?”

Balto knocked him with his shoulder. “Okay, okay, _Uncle Boris,_ ” he gave a teasing grin, “we’ll be good. Now go on, before the updrafts get too crazy.”

Boris snorted, muttering something about children with no respect (though it was a joking endearment more than an actual complaint), and took to wing.

Balto was quick to bop Muk on the head with a paw and jump off the boat, the indignant “hey!” followed by Luk’s bulk hitting the snow as well.

It went on for the hour or so Boris was gone; Balto quick and darting, Luk too big to avoid, and Muk surprisingly sneaky when he blended in with a snow drift. Boris actually made about three return trips, making sure to provide enough fish for the hungry polar bears.

True to the goose’s instincts, the sky grew darker and a cold wind sprang up. They huddled into the cabin of the ship just as the first few flakes began to fall.

Stories were shared - mostly from Boris, northern tales from the vantage of birds, though the polar bear brothers had a few from their own clan-kind as well.  
  
“. . .and so Arctos spread his paws and cracked the ice, so his cubs wouldn’t starve. And that’s why our claws and paws are so blunt and powerful.” Muk finished his story wit pride, Luk nodding drowsily beside him.

Balto gave a yawn himself. “That’s really neat, Muk. You believe it?“ 

Muk gave a snort. “Of course; where else do you think these came from?” He rolled onto his back, waving all four paws in the air.

It was comical, but Balto kept the thought to himself. It must be nice, to have stories of ones ancestors, ones culture.

“Well, chicks, it’s time for bed I think,” Boris honked wearily. He settled down beside Balto. “That snow won’t stop anytime soon.”

The rested settled down for a long night.

* * *

His dreams turned, as they usually did, to darkness. Then the darkness took form as a black snowy landscape, backlit by some indistinguishable color.

Something crested the hill; shapes, blurry on the edges as though doubled and overlayed. They were black and backlit like everything else.

They were wolves.

Empty, white eyes watched him. Balto crouched low, submissive and afraid.

Behind him came a crackling noise and though his ears pricked, he didn’t turn to look.

_Packless_ , they seemed to whisper. _Child of Aniu. Why have you not come home?_

_Child of Canos_ , another countered.

Though they spoke, no mouths opened or moved.

_But child of Aniu nonetheless_. One turned from its companion to Balto. _Do not be afraid. We are you, and you are us. Whichever path, our song follows._

And the shadows threw up their heads and began to howl. It was beautiful, and terrifying, and heart-wrenching. But he did not get to hear the end, as the ground groaned beneath him.

He looked down, and saw he was on ice. It began to crack under him, and as it did, it took shape of a large grizzly bear.

It roared, and as it did the ground shattered, and swallowed him up, and he was drowning, drowning in the cold dark sea. . .


End file.
